This is the Top Three AoS Lists for the BWG: Summer Slaughter GT that took place in Pennsylvania, USA on 23rd and 24th July. It involved a massive 102 players vying to be crowned champion in a 5 game tournament. An interesting result, 2 of the lists feature White Dwarf rule adjustments and we have Seraphon. In fact the whole top 5 is made up of AoS 2 books with 6th being the highest placed. Of course 5 to 10 are all the newest of books (Skaven and Sylvaneth).

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The Top Three AoS Lists

Allegiance: Slaanesh
– Host: Lurid Haze Invaders Host (Host of Chaos)
– Grand Strategy: Take What’s Theirs
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Sigvald, Prince of Slaanesh (205)*
– Host Option: General
The Contorted Epitome (245)*
– General
– Command Trait: Feverish Anticipation
– Artefact: Oil of Exultation
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon
Krondspine Bladebringer, Herald on Seeker Chariot (185)*
– Lore of Slaanesh: Hysterical Frenzy

Battleline
22 x Blissbarb Archers (280)*
– Reinforced x 1
22 x Blissbarb Archers (280)*
– Reinforced x 1
11 x Blissbarb Archers (140)*

Units
5 x Centigors (85)*
10 x Gors (70)*
– Gor-Blades & Beastshields

Behemoths
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur (400)*

Endless Spells & Invocations
Geminids of Uhl-Gysh (40)
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

Core Battalions
*Battle Regiment

Total: 2000 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 2 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 96
Drops: 1

Brett: Tuned to excess (I know what I did there) with the most efficient Slaanesh Warscrolls combined alongside Krondspine and that Purple Sun. The result is a mobile army with brutal amounts of shooting backed by enough hitting power to remove your hammers (or anvils). This is a very interesting army which avoids any of the larger heroes (Glutos, Keeper of Secrets or Shalaxi) for Krondspine and maximum Blissbarb.

Anthony has taken advantage of the Invaders battle traits to gain a second hero for command purposes. Useful to increase the sweep of command abilities. 2 Wizards with 3 casts and denies but neither are true wizards so the list really has 3 combat heros with denies. Starting with Sigvald; he continues to be a machine, ignoring wards but has a 4+ ward, with his minimum 5 attacks hitting on 2s and wounding on 3s with Rend -2 and D3 damage. If he charges he can use his charge roll for his attacks. Invaders allow the placement of 3 units into ambush (deep strike) so there is an excellent chance of meeting him after he charges (3+ to his charge roll), of course he strikes first. Avoid hm by staying more than 15″ from the edge of the board. Any edge.

The Contorted Epitome is quite tanky in this build with +1 wound and it’s normal 2+ ward on MW. 14″ move and with Flaming Weapon (presumably on the Ravaging Claws) for 9 attacks with a rend -1 and 2 damage weapon. And ability to make other units fight after it if it charges. The Chariot and Epitome have warscroll spells to grant rerolls for 1s. The Chariot has an impressive melee profile but more importantly can retreat and charge, it inflicts mortal wounds on the charge. The Hysterical Frenzy spell inflicts more MW. These combat characters make sense when the rest of the list is mostly Blissbarb. 2 attacks but a 6+ save and 1 wound mean they will melt under pressure. With a 6″ move (but they can run and shoot) mobility is limited but they can take Sigvald up the board with them.

With the limited casting and no real wizards (who have buffed casting) getting Purple Sun out might be hard. Geminids have a CV of only 5 though and are no where near as powerful as the Purple Sun. Still they inflict MW on a unit with 1″ at the end of their movement on a 2+ and if they do they turn off commands. An army that is going to apply pressure from the start, it pretty much always wants to go second to see where the best places to drop in units. If they take Sigvald into ambush with 2 of the Blissbard Archers units their opponent is going to have real trouble. Anthony scored consistently through all rounds (26+), most of his opponents had either Eternal Conquerers or Bounty Hunters or both which this list largely negates (they are shooting you off objectives, your numbers won’t count).

Allegiance: Kharadron Overlords
– Sky Port: Barak Zilfin
– Mortal Realm: Chamon
– Grand Strategy: Masters of the High Airs
– Triumphs: Inspired

Leaders
Aether-Khemist (90)*
– General
– Command Trait: Collector
– Artefact: Spell in a Bottle
Aetheric Navigator (85)*
Arkanaut Admiral (125)*
– Artefact: Arcane Tome (Universal Artefact)
– Universal Spell Lore: Flaming Weapon

Battleline
10 x Arkanaut Company (90)**
– 1x Light Skyhooks
– 1x Aethermatic Volley Guns
10 x Arkanaut Company (90)**
– 1x Light Skyhooks
– 1x Aethermatic Volley Guns
10 x Arkanaut Company (90)**
– 1x Light Skyhooks
– 1x Aethermatic Volley Guns

Units
10 x Grundstok Thunderers (270)*
– Reinforced x 1
1 x Grundstok Gunhauler (155)
– Main Gun: Sky Cannon
– Great Endrinworks: Zonbarcorp ‘Debtsettler’ Spar Torpedo

Behemoths
Arkanaut Ironclad (490)
– Main Gun: Great Sky Cannon
– Great Endrinworks: Zonbarcorp ‘Dealbreaker’ Battle Ram
Admiral’s Krondspine (400)
Krondspine Incarnate of Ghur

Endless Spells & Invocations
Purple Sun of Shyish (70)

Core Battalions
*Warlord
**Expert Conquerors

Additional Enhancements
Artefact

Total: 1955 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 1 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 94
Drops: 10

Brett: It’s been a while since Kharadron Overlords have climbed to the top of the tree. Coming off a recent buff from both the mid year points (only 2 units) and White Dwarf revision Carl is one of 3 to go 5/0 in the event. He does have both the Purple Sun and Krondspine and 2 wizards to bind them thanks to the Arcane Tome. I wonder if we will see anything about the Purple Sun and Krondspine before the next Battlescroll is due in September.The general, the Aether-Khemist is an obvious choice, one of 3 Khemist only artefacts guarantees an endless spell can be cast once per game. The Purple Sun has a casting value of 8 so if there is anyway to make it a sure thing take it.

Slow moving he also hands out a re-roll wound rolls of 1 to a unit within 12″ and reduces to-hit rolls within 3″ (himself and another character typically) unless garrisoned, so he has to be on foot. His own attacks are much riskier, 3D6 with rend -2 sound great but only 9″ range make it a risky proposition. Of course he can garrison a vessel. The Navigator is here for his dispel and reroll run and charges for vessels if they are visible to him. Lastly the Admiral, who was the most changed by White Dwarf here. He lost 3 of his 4 unique command abilities, keeping the ability to allow a unit to fire even if it had run (Master of the Skies). Flaming Weapon is an interesting choice, he has reroll hits and wounds against monsters and heroes.

He is a small beatstick with only 3 attacks, -2 rend, 2 damage. He can divert wounds to the Arkanaut Companies (Skyfarers). Otherwise 3 battle line Arkanauts with minimal upgrades, Thunderers for some punch. With limited capacity in the flying units I would garrison the Thunderers and forgo the hero buffs to minimise their exposure. All of the KO shooting units have quite short ranges, typically 18″ or less except for the boats. The addition of the Purple Sun to increase saving throws for adjacent units with the number of shots from even the Arkanauts is a great combo. The Krondspine is pure distraction and menace, it takes a lot to deal with but can’t easily be ignored. In melee he can delete weaker units and at least bracket most bigger heroes in a single turn.

His highest ranked opponent was 11th, so it’s not clear how much we can take from his matchups. Most of the armies this went against were a bit short on shooting with the exception of his 2nd opponent. 5/0 is no small accomplishment and the list is quite different with so few boats and mostly footsloggers who aren’t riding.

Army Faction: Seraphon
– Army Type: Coalesced
– Subfaction: Thunder Lizard
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumph: Inspired

LEADERS
Saurus Astrolith Bearer (140)**
– Artefacts of Power: Fusil of Conflagration
Lord Kroak (430)**
Celestant-Prime (325)**
Engine of the Gods (265)***
– General
– Command Traits: Prime Warbeast
– Artefacts of Power: Incandescent Rectrices
– Mount Traits: Beastmaster
– Prayers: Curse

BATTLELINE
Skinks (75)*
– Skink Alpha
– Boltspitter and Moonstone Club
Skinks (75)*
– Skink Alpha
– Boltspitter and Moonstone Club
Saurus Guard (115)**
– Saurus Guard Alpha
– Stardrake Icon Bearer
– Wardrummer

BEHEMOTH
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)***
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)***
Bastiladon with Ark of Sotek (165)***

ENDLESS SPELLS & INVOCATIONS
1 x Horrorghast (40)

TERRAIN
1 x Realmshaper Engine (0)

CORE BATTALIONS
*Expert Conquerors
**Warlord
***Linebreaker

TOTAL POINTS: 1960/2000

Brett: The last of the 5/0 armies coming in 3rd with an absolute hero hammer of a army. Over a 1000 points in heroes, some skinks and Saurus to fill those pesky battleine and 3 Bastiladons because why not. The inclusion of Horrorghast in interesting and the decision to play into the Triumph (Inspired). Those 40 points could have upgraded Skinks to Saurus or Chronomatic Cogs for casting rerolls. I wonder what Michael thinks after the event. Again this army wasn’t paired into any of the top 10 armies so not a lot can be drawn from the matchups.

Kroak is an amazing wizard, only Nagash and Teclis match him with 4 casts/unbinds and no range limitation on his unbinds. He adds +2 to casts, can make nearby units fly and give a +1 to save. He’s very hard to kill so those spells are there the whole game. The Astrolith is also a wizard and the Engine of the Gods has some decent combat prowess but is mostly here for the Cosmic Engine. Thunder Lizard means it rolls twice. Celestant-Prime is a SCE ally, their most expensive non dragon hero.

24″ shooting attack (D3 MW to units with 6″ of a point) and the mighty Ghaz Maral hammer. Starting at 3 attacks, -3 rend, 3 damage hitting on 3s and wounding on 2s he gains 2 attacks for each turn you leave him in reserve. Once a turn he can change a dice roll, including a charge roll. Arrive in Turn 3 with 7 attacks and a guaranteed turn or bring him in earlier if things are going badly. He is likely to delete any smaller hero when he arrives and is even a good chance (with help) to force an incarnate to lose a level.

The Bastiladons are rocking an extra 2 wounds, taking 4 wounds to bring them below a 1+ save. I know, stupid GW a 1+ roll always fails, except for Bastiladons and moral (40k). Anyway all of them are using the Ark of Sotek for maximum attacks (18 at top bracket) looking for MWs on 6s. Hunter Battalions are less common as well so there is a good chance of a monstrous action affecting opponents. A Thunder Lizard army with all of the big toys as we’ve come to know is pretty effective and has done extremely well here.

Allegiance: Khorne
– Slaughterhost: Reapers of Vengeance
– Mortal Realm: Aqshy
– Grand Strategy: Show of Dominance
– Triumphs: Bloodthirsty

Leaders
Skarbrand (380)*
Bloodsecrator (125)*
Slaves to Darkness Daemon Prince (210)*
– Axe
– Artefact: The Crimson Crown
– Mark of Chaos: Khorne
Slaughterpriest (100)
– Prayer: Blood Sacrifice
Bloodthirster of Unfettered Fury (295)
– General
– Command Trait: Mage Eater
Bloodthirster of Insensate Rage (280)
– Artefact: Skullshard Mantle

Battleline
10 x Blood Warriors (190)**
– Goreaxe & Gorefist
– 1x Goreglaives
10 x Bloodreavers (80)**
– Meatripper Axes
10 x Bloodreavers (80)**
– Meatripper Axes

Units
5 x Centigors (85)***
5 x Centigors (85)***
5 x Centigors (85)***

Core Battalions
*Command Entourage – Magnificent
**Expert Conquerors
***Bounty Hunters

Total: 1995 / 2000
Reinforced Units: 0 / 4
Allies: 0 / 400
Wounds: 131
Drops: 12

Brett: 4/1 only gets you to 15th place in this tournament, only getting his Grand Strategy 3 times with the dropped game seeing Sam slide. The new Season 1 Battle Traits and Grand Strategies are that much harder. I am not sure that Show of Dominance is a good pick, it’s quite risky trying to place a GV unit in each quarter. Blades of Khorne can summon additional veterans though through Blood Tithe points which you earn by killing units. And that’s what this army is built for.

With Skarbrand and 2 more Bloodthirsters as well as a Demon Prince this army moves fast and hits very very hard. Or whiffs (nothing personal Skarbrand). Getting to 4 points shouldn’t be hard unless your opponent is super elite. 4 points grants 10 Bloodletters. Back to the heroes – the Crimson Crown is a good choice on the Demon Prince allowing him to use Bloodslicked Ground for free. Mage eater for a deny in an almost castless army (the Slaughterpriest has a deny as well) and Skullshard Mantle, because Blades of Vengenace must take it, round out the enhancements. Blood Scarifice allows the generation of Blood Tithe, farming 5 a game, at the cost of something cheap (Centigors or Bloodreavers).

13 drops (not 8) and 131 points without summoning Sam had a tough road facing 3 new books in his first 3 rounds and only dropping one. His last game was Lumineth, and interesting problem for a melee army. Solid effort Sam.

Final Tournament Placings (Top 32)